WIMBLEDON

June 25, 2001

Serena Williams

MODERATOR: Ladies and Gentlemen, Serena Williams.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, it feels great. I was walking out there on the court today. To be, you know, against the green, lush grass, in the white dress, I just felt, you know, back at home. I love it here. I feel really special.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, it feels great to play on the grass. It's a bit quicker, so you have to make sure you're doing all the right things.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yes, it is.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It is, it's the same. I've been practicing on it for a few days. When I went home, I was practicing on the grass also. It's suitable, the same. It's always the same. They really do a good job, you know, of taking care of it for the years to come.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, me, I'm kind of an insatiable person. I've never had a perfect match. I think I lost a little focus out there today. I started thinking about different things. My eyes started wandering. I found myself down 15-40 a few times. But other than that, I think pretty much my game was okay.

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, everyone deserves a break every now and then. I always have a tough match. I just think I played well today. It's not that she wasn't tough. She might have been a bit nervous. Who wouldn't be?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. I'm not concerned at all. I have a lot of match toughness. Everything should have been done in practice. If I'm not ready, then I probably should have to practice harder. But I definitely feel fit, in form - not only physically, but mostly mentally, I think.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, for sure. It's been way too long since I won another major. But don't hold your breath. It's time to let go.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Am I more fit than I was at the French Open (laughter). Sorry. Obviously, yes. I've been working harder. I've been working more hard. I've been doing more. I was fit there. I think I'm more match tough here now.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Oh, been practicing. You know, I do lots of secret things I don't really share.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I think it's tough to be mentally tough. I think that's more or less something that's already inside you. I think one can acquire it, but I think it might take -- hey, you might be 25, 26, 24, before they can really acquire and learn. Other than that, I think that's innate.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Everyone thinks it's hot here. Everyone's complaining about the weather. This is like heaven compared to what it was like back at home in Florida. You step outside, you're just filled with sweat. It's so humid and hot. But the grass court there, there's no grass court like Wimbledon. I mean I've never been in the tournament in the Netherlands. I know there's a tournament in Eastbourne. It's beautiful grass, but it's not like the one here in Wimbledon. It's really nice, but it doesn't play like the one here.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'd say it's one of my best, yeah. I guess. Doesn't really matter what I play on. I grew up on hard. For five years I played on nothing but clay. I love the grass. So, whatever you interpret that to be.

SERENA WILLIAMS: We're both taking it one match at a time. One down, six to go, hopefully.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'll ask Venus. She's played her a few times. I know she's from Germany. I'll definitely consult Venus. I didn't know that.

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm feeling definitely more comfortable. I've been working on it. I think it's definitely a bit better. We'll see as the rounds go on how it is. In practice right now, it's doing very well.

SERENA WILLIAMS: More my mind than my eyes. My mind was thinking of different things.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Nothing in particular. Just you know, what I might do when I get home (laughter). I shouldn't have been thinking about these things. I'm reading a book, and I was thinking about the book. I'm like, "Wait a minute, I can't do this."

SERENA WILLIAMS: I'm reading a book called "The Eye of Rah" (phonetic). It's really good. Usually I'd be finished by now. But between the practice and the matches, you know, there's no time.

SERENA WILLIAMS: It's a book about this guy and his travels in Egypt, his adventures. It's really good. I love it.

SERENA WILLIAMS: Yeah, I've been feeling like that for like six times now. I'm still taking it one match at a time. You know, hold up the championship trophy again soon.